Daryll Cullinan says Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement is not a big loss for India

Former South African batter Daryll Cullinan reckons Rohit Sharma’s Test retirement is not a big loss for India. Rohit had managed only 31 runs in three Test matches against Australia at an average of 6.20 and thus doubts on his Test future were raised.

In the last 15 Test innings, Rohit was averaging a mundane 10.9. Rohit played 67 Tests during an 11-year career, leading in 24 of them since taking over the reins of the team from Virat Kohli in 2022. He ends his career with a total of 4301 runs, including 12 centuries.

“Rohit’s retirement was probably long overdue in terms of test cricket away from India. Let’s be honest about it. He hasn’t really been the player that he throughout his career has been at home and we saw reluctance from him in recent Australian series to really take it on and lead from the front. So I don’t see that as being a loss for India at all,” Cullinan said in an interview with the Hindustan Times.

On the other hand, the former Proteas batter said the young Indian has a realistic chance of finding success on the England tour if their bowlers are fit and fine.

“India definitely have a realistic chance if all their bowlers are fit and they’re able to see through the series. They’re always going to be in with a chance. Ability to bowl teams out and there’s depth in India’s batting,” Cullinan said.

India will need to come up with a collective effort on the tour of England and it would be interesting to note who would be the team’s new Test skipper.

The opening Test between India and England will be played at Leeds, Headingley from June 20 onwards.